Autopiano.



W. F. BAYER.

AUTOPIANO.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.15, 1908.

EB -SEEET 1.

LfQ 111 e W. F. BAYER.

AUTOPIANO.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 15, 1908.

Patented July 6, i909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 usual piano keys number of rows oetiers in a manner common UNITED srArns PATENT OFFICE.-

WILLIAM F. BAYER, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE CHASE & BAKER. COMPANY,

OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, A

CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

AUTOPIANO.

Specification of Letters Patent.- Application filed February 16, 1908. Serial No. 416,008.

Patented July 6, i909.

' called auto-pianos adapted for either manual or automatic operation.

The object of the invention is to simplify the construction of the pneumatic action.

' In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a sectional front elevation of-a piano embodying the invention. Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are transverse vertical sections on the correspondingly-numbered lines in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section of the wind chest, key table and adjacent parts, on an enlar ed'scale. Fig 6 is a horizontal section in ine.6-6, Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a front view of one of the abstracts and its guide-link, on an enlarged scale.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several-views. A indicates the piano action which may be of any ordinary construction and a the abstracts which are manually operated by the Bl The lower portions of these abstracts are guided and steadied by vertically swinging links 0, pivoted at their rear ends to hangers or brackets C secured to a fixed supporting rail C arranged on the rear side of the abstracts. These links preferably pass through vertical slots (1 in the abstracts and are pivoted to the latter at d. The links extend forwardly beyond the abstracts to form extensions 0', and under these exten- 40 sions engage the rear arms of verticallyswinging levers E which are actuated by the motor pneumatic F of the 'neurnatic action of the instrument, each of t e links 0 cooperating with one of the levers E.

The motor pneumatics are arranged in a to such actions and are supported upon the usual wind boards or sections 9 of thewind chest G. The action of these'motorpneumatics is controlled by the customary perforated music sheet H and a cooperatin valve mechanism of-=any suitable or well own construction, one of such valve-mechanisms being shown in'Fig. 5, ,The, valve-mechan orms no part of my present invention,

but it is preferably like that shown in Letters 'Patent No. 832,295, issued October 2, 1906,:

New York, as assignee of H. Chase and myself, to whi h Letters Patent reference. is made for a full description of said mechanism.

drawings, their lower boards are fixed and the usual arms f of their upper movable boards are connected by rods'j with the front arms of the respective levers E, so that the front arm of the corresponding ever E is raised and its rear arm depressed, leavin the corresponding abstract a in its normal 1position for manual operation by the piano e s B. When the motor pneumatic is ,co lapsed, the front arm of the corresponding lever is depressed and its rear arm raised, thereby raising the corresponding abstract and pneumatically operating the companion hammer of the iano action. To permit the stroke of'each ever E to be properly regulated to, obtain the desired throw of the hammer, arm with an adjustable stop orbutton 7c arranged to strike the base or bottom hoard L of the wind chest. Each of these stops pref erably consists of a screw threaded rod or stem engaging an opening in the lever. As shown in Fig. 5, the rear end of each of these levers is fpreferably provided with a convex bearing ace or shoe m to obtain a smooth action between .the same and the extension 0 of the corresponding link 0.

The wind chest-1s suitably supported above the rear ortions of the piano keys. In the preferre construction shown in the drawings, it rests removably uponposts N which is clamped down upon t e up er end of a post p by a screw 1 entering a t readed' socket in said post. e posts p are secured to the key table. Upon] removin' the screws 7", the wind chest is release and which actuate he abstracts are exposed .or

when one of such pneumatics is ex anded,

to The Chase & 'Baker Com )any of Buffalo, v

In the motorpneumatics shown in the.

rising from the key table and is provided at each end with a laterally-proilecting lug o' after disconnecting the usual tubes or con i to be lowered upon the on the outside of the wind chest. This construction is objectionable, inasmuch as the sound incident to the action of these parts is annoying and detracts from the enjoyment of the music. To overcome this objection and muffle such sounds, the wind chest is provided with a tight muflie board or plate Q which covers that side of the wind chest at which the motor pneumatics are arranged. This muflie board extends from top to bottom and from end to end of the Wind chest, and in connection with the usual end and rear walls of the wind chest completely incloses the motor pneumatics, levers E and connections j, thus'muffiing the same. 111 the construction shown, the wind chest is for this purpose provided at its top, bottom and middle with horizontal cleats or boards g, yond the lovers tor pneumatics and to which the mufiie board Q is secured.

R indicates a vertically movable locking rail arranged above the keys B and adapted same for locking them against movement, when theinstrument is played automatically, and to be raised out of the 'wayw'hen the instrumentis to. be played manually. This rail extends more motor pneumatics T, the u able boards of which are connecte with actuating arms t secured to from end to end of these'ries of keys and is arranged .above their rear portions, as shown." It is carried by rock arms 8 secured to a horizontal rock shaft 8 su ported on the lower rear portion of the winc chest, as best shown in Fig. 6. This shaft is actuated by one or .by rods t I opposite ends of said shaft. By this construction, when the motor pneumatics T are in their expanded condition, the lockingrail is supported in its elevated position as shown by ull lines in the drawings, while when the pneumatics are collapsed, the rail is depressed to the dotted position shown in Fig. 5, thereby locking the piano keys. In the construction shown in the drawings, one of such motor pneumatics is arranged at each end of the wind chest, and the air ports a of each is in constant communication with the conduit U leading from exhaust passage or the usual air reservoir or exhaust device V of hich extend forwardly be-' E and'the'armsf of the 1no- H per movment plays,- thus automatica play and automatically releasing them when 1t ceases playing.

' I claim as my invention:

1'. The combination of the abstracts of the keys the moment the instrument begins to the instrument to the wind chest, so that as piano-action, guide-links for the abstracts yond the abstracts, extensions, and means for operating said le vers, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of the abstracts of the piano-action, guide-links for the abstracts having extensions projecting forwardly beyond the abstracts, levers arranged in front of said linksand engaging their extensions, and motor pneumatics for actuating said levers, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the abstracts of the I l I I l l i l having extensions 1 i l having extensions I yond the abstracts, levers arranged in front i of said links and-havingtheir rear armsar ranged to engage under said link-extensions, and adjustable stops carried by the front arms of said levers, substantially as set forth.

scribed, the combination of the keyftable, supporting posts rising therefrom, a'wind chest removably, means for clam ing the wind-chest intplace on said posts, su stantially as set forth. 5. In an instrument of thecharacter' described, the combination of the key table, supporting posts rising therefrom, a wind i chest removably seated on said posts, .and provided with projecting lugs, fastening posts rising. from the key table and supporting said lugs, and clamping screws engaging the last-named lu s,substantia yas set'forth. i I itness my hand this'l lth day of February, 1908. v 7 WILLIAM F. BAYER.

- Witnesses:

- O. F. GEYER, E. M. GRAHAM.

projecting forwardly beevers engaging said link;-

piano-action, guide links for the abstracts projecting forwardly be r 4. In an instrument of the character dim;

seated on said posts, 'a-n'd lposts and bearing upon said 

